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Bone-in chicken thighs with crisp skin sit in a lemon, olive, and tomato sauce in a cast iron skillet.

One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken with Lemon and Olives

Bone-in chicken thighs seared crisp, then baked in one skillet with lemon, olives, tomatoes, and artichokes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 590
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 200 g each)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • salt and black pepper to season
  • 1 red onion small, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 200 g canned artichoke hearts drained and quartered; packed in water, not oil
  • 60 g kalamata olives pitted
  • 1 lemon , half sliced thin and half juiced
  • 120 ml chicken broth
  • 50 g feta cheese crumbled; optional
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

Sear the Chicken
  1. Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and the dried oregano.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and sear for 5 to 6 minutes, until the skin is golden and releases easily from the pan.
  4. Flip the chicken and sear for 2 minutes on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Build the Pan Sauce
  1. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, red onion, and garlic to the same skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
  2. Add the cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, lemon slices, and chicken broth. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  3. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet, skin-side up, along with any juices from the plate.
Finish in the Oven
  1. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F / 74 C and the skin stays crisp.
  2. Remove from the oven, squeeze the lemon juice over the top, and scatter parsley and crumbled feta if using.
  3. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving straight from the skillet.

Notes

  • Sear chicken skin-side down first; don't flip until it releases easily.
  • Use an oven-safe skillet so you skip transferring dishes midway.
  • Taste the sauce before salting; olives and feta bring plenty already.
  • Check thighs at 165 F / 74 C with a thermometer, not by time alone.